Clay Vallets Wood

An ancient woodland clearly showing how it has developed from historical management practices.

Location

Clay Vallets Wood Nature Reserve

Lingen

Herefordshire

LD8 2NA

OS Map Reference

SO 353 678

Know before you go

Size

3 hectares

Parking information

Limited roadside parking.

Walking trails

The reserve clings to the side of a steep valley and has upper and lower access paths, following the valley contour above the stream. Park where you can on the roadside and walk along the footpath for about 500m, and then cross the stream and join the path on the opposite bank. The gate to the reserve is 300m up the path.

Access

There is no wheelchair access on this reserve.

Dogs

On a lead

When to visit

Opening times

Dawn to dusk

Best time to visit

Early May for spring flowers and bird song, mid-summer for silver-washed fritillary.

About the reserve

This reserve consists of a woodland with an ancient origin, and the present day woodland shows clearly how it has developed from management practices in the past. The trees are nearly all sessile oak of similar age and growth; this uniformity probably stems from selection for oak in the past in order to produce oak bark for the tanning industry. The shrub layer is poorly developed and cow-wheat, wood sage and sweet vernal grass are typical in this region.